Porcelain
by TheSilentTrowaBarton
Summary: oneshot Maiko little bit o’ fluff like I promised. I’ll start adding more as my stories go on. Zuko finds Mai sleeping on a bench in the BaSingSe palace on his way to practice his broadswords. Against Azula’s wishes he decides to carry her back to her roo


Porcelain

One-shot

(Maiko)

A/N: up at 5:30 am, yadda yadda. Basically a more Zuko based story. I don't think I've ever done one closer to his POV. My mind had been so restless trying to get me to write this that I couldn't fall back asleep.

Disclaimer: I don't own avatar.

He passed through the BaSingSe halls wobbling slightly. It was by far, too early for him to be up. Little ringlets of light were just barely beginning to stream into the sky as dawn approached. He paused for a moment, to glance out one of the large glass windows of the palace. Watching a sunrise wasn't anything new for him. Back that the fire nation his room had been facing the east, so every morning, sure enough, there was the sun peeking over the hills that surrounded the palace. It was nothing special. He was the prince, and the sun was supposed to rise before him out of respect. The night on the other hand, it brought him trouble, amendment, the ability to form a new life, and just to get away from everything.

He walked slowly around the corner, grabbing the sandstone pillar and cringing at its annoying texture. _Earth benders._ He growled internally. He had every desire to continue bashing them to pieces in his mind, but something, or better yet, someone, had caught his eye. Curled up into a crescent moon shape was Azula's black haired friend that constantly stole glances at him. She was holding a book in one hand, and a dagger in the other, which he soon realized that she had been holding it for defense while she slept. He slowly approached the bench and looked down at her. _Why would you fall asleep here?_ He wondered. Looking around for a moment he took in the idea that she had been there all night. _Where's her room?_

"What are you doing?" A sleepy voice came from behind him.

"She's been here all night." He muttered aloud, seeing his sister walk past him slowly.

She fluffed her loose hanging hair with one hand and crossed the other over her stomach, "Possibly. …that's what she does though. She'll be damned if she actually sleeps in her own room."

His sister seemed to be complaining… "Where's she sleep?"

"Usually there."

"That's not what I meant."

"I care?"

He balled his fists for a moment, thinking of a way to get back at his sister till the girl rolled over on the bench, muttering something in her sleep. "…I'll take her back ok?"

Azula walked off, down the hall toward the kitchen, "Again, I care?"

Zuko waited for a moment for Azula to leave, and lifted the girl off the jade bench. To his surprise, she seemed to weigh a little more then she looked. He stung himself for thinking about that, it was something Azula would have harped on. He curled his arm tightly under her knees, and the other under her arms and around her back. He suddenly realized the reason for her weight when he pulled her tightly to him to keep a hold of her and the holster for a dagger dug into his ribcage.

"Oh." _Why does she carry so much?_

He adjusted her one more time, and walked back down the hall that he had came from. He yawned, allowing himself to wake slightly more. He was supposed to be practicing his broadswords with one of the DiLee members, but them man had probably left once his shift had ended.

Zuko looked around for a moment, thinking what door had been to her room. He thought about prying open each door, just until he found the room shrouded in crimson and burgundy banners. He shook his head, realizing that the other free spirited girl would have been in one of the room, and probably would have awakened with a start and followed him around, pestering him till he finally exploded on her. He opened the door to his own room, covered in fire nation flags, and newly painted several shades of red.

He walked over to his bed and softly sat her down. He wouldn't be coming back to his room for some time, and by then, she would have already woken and left.

The girl suddenly stirred when he let go of her. She muttered softly to herself when she rolled over causing him to smirk. He shifted one of his arms under her knees, and the other to pull sheets out from under her so she could at least stay warm for the time being. He wouldn't even allow himself to be concerned with how comfortable she was in the clothes she was wearing, if he had, either her or Azula would impale him with one of the posts in the hall.

She smiled suddenly after he pulled the covers over her shoulders and she tightly hugged one of the pillows. He felt himself turn red when she whispered his name.

"uh…" he thought for a moment then leaned over the edge of the bed, looking down on her, "What is it?"

She just smirked and rolled back over, facing him again.

He felt butterflies brush against the inside of his stomach as he looked down at her. One of his hands was tucked lightly behind her ear before he had even realized it.

"What am I doing?"

Her eyes fluttered open, and he felt himself freeze up. He knew his face had to be at least three shades of red, well, excluding the scar.

"Azula's a tightwad." The raspy voice muttered.

He remained quiet.

"And she won't buy it for me, so I said that I was going to get it with our food money and then Ty said that she would."

Zuko's eyebrow quirked for a moment, then he smiled when the girl fell back to sleep. He leaned down softly, feeling his knees shake and his wrists go lip, and kissed her softly on the edge of her mouth.

"You shouldn't do that." Azula muttered from the opening of the large door.

Zuko quickly looked up and faced her, completely infuriated as he watched his sister shove an egg into her mouth, "Get out." He hissed through gritted teeth.

"She's going to remember." Azula chewed her food, keeping a good amount of it in her cheek.

"What are you talking about?"

Azula rolled her eyes, "Fine, but I warned you." She smirked at her brother and whispered, "All you have to do is set off one of her danger senses and she'll wake up."

"Shut up" he glared at her. He looked back at the girl and sighed. "Just go."

Azula shrugged, "Suit yourself." She walked out of the room and laughed.

Mai sat up, hearing her friends cackle and rubbed her eyes, "…who's room am I in?" She was speaking to herself until she realized that Zuko was standing next to her. He had carried her in, hadn't he? Mai felt the message that her back and knees sent her, telling her he had lifted her off the couch. He must have carried her with her right side to him, because the pressure from her fire nation daggers' case had pressed into her hip. She noted all the placed that had past remembrance from when she was sleeping. The spot on her neck that he had held his hand against and… she paused. She would have allowed herself to throw the idea to the side, but he must have kissed her too. She put her hand up to the corner of her mouth and watched his eyes open wider for a moment, then he turned his head quickly.

She quickly shook it off and lay back down on his bed, burying her face into his pillow to hide her smirk. He placed a hand on her back and sighed.

"I have to go practice, you're welcome to rest in here." With that he walked out of the room.

Mai smiled inwardly thinking to herself how she'd rather not sleep on the bench anymore.

Zuko would slap himself on the forehead when he walked around the palace to lecture her about sleeping in her bed and not on benches around the house, and found her curled up underneath his covers that night.

A/N: nyeeeeee XP pft, I wrote it cause I wanted tooo! (I personally think it's cute and that's all that matters, right?) Ok, well I know the ending wasn't that clear so let me make it a little easyer. Mai basically adopts Zuko's bed, not to sleep with him, but just cause she can. loooveee:heart: anyways, yeah. I'm in a bit of a mood so much so that I need the pick-me-up-fics to flow like hot lava. (going through a rough spot, yadda yadda, I'd rather write this then angst.) happy new year all! And I hope this one was ok.


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